On Friday, March 7, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to create a White House task force that will oversee preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The upcoming competition will take place in three countries - the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This was reported by UNN citing NBC News and CNN.
Details
It is noted that the stated mission of the task force is to "showcase the pride and hospitality of the nation while also promoting economic growth and tourism. Trump will be the head of this group.
According to CNN, the White House chief is particularly proud that the United States is hosting the tournament. Donald Trump was the president of the country in 2018 when the three nations were awarded the right to host the championship. According to the U.S. President, he plans to attend some matches.
For our country, this is a great honor. In fact, it is a grand event. I don't even know which is bigger - the Olympics or the World Cup,
He also stated that the current disagreements with Mexico and Canada will make the tournament "even more exciting."
FIFA President Gianni Infantino was also present at the announcement. He noted that the championship will create about 200,000 jobs and bring an economic impact of approximately $40 billion. The tournament, which will start in June 2026, is expected to attract about 8 million foreign tourists to the U.S.
"America will open its doors to the whole world. Millions of people will come, Mr. President, millions... It's like three Super Bowls every day for a month," Infantino said, thanking Trump for creating the task force and for supporting the tournament.
Reminder
FIFA presented a detailed calendar and format for the qualification for the 2026 World Cup. The qualification will take place in two formats for groups of 4 and 5 teams, with final playoff matches in March 2026.